Who is Keeping My Mind?

Every morning when I wake up I think about what is on my to do list or what appointments I have on my calendar.  And every night when I lay my head down I review how I did.  Some days I have a feeling of satisfaction and some days I feel let down. 

Throughout the day my mind can wander into places that either inspire me or defeat me.  It is all a matter of choice.  What I fill my mind with, the news I listen to, the books I read, the TV I watch - all of it plays into the way I go through my day.  I am finding, especially right now, that the consumption of news can make me anxious and can make me feel almost imprisoned.  So I am choosing to limit that to a few key interviews each day and then let the sound bites go. None of it helps me or motivates me to be the best I can be.  It does not help me with what is on my to do list nor does it help me to be an encouragement to those that I have appointments with.

The prophet Isaiah many, many years ago had the right idea.  These encouraging words are what I need to fix my mind on. God will keep me in perfect peace if I keep my mind fixed on trusting Him. I really just noted the word "perfect".  Not just peace, but perfect peace.  But, there is an action that is required on my part.  My part is to be steadfast in fixing my mind on the faithfulness of God and to trust that He has all of this in hand.

It is hard.  It is something that I must exercise.  It will not just happen.  So, I am going to really work at this.  I am going to make an effort beginning now to look up to the One Who truly can give me peace and not look to men who cannot.  I am going to faithfully pray for our leaders but I am not going to have expectations of them that are beyond their power to fulfill.  I am going to practice smiling again and counting my blessings instead of focusing on the things that I cannot change.  I am going to be kinder, gentler and more merciful to those who I disagree with.  And I am going to allow God to keep my mind fixed on Him as I live out these days of uncertainty. 

And maybe in the process - I will go to bed with more feelings of satisfaction than let down!

Hope in a Time of Anxiousness

For several days now we have been in an anxious world. For some it has been longer than that. And as we look out into this uncertain future I wondered if I even had anything worth saying to add to all the frantic posts, angry news articles and tweets.  So maybe this is just for myself that I write.  Or maybe it might be an encouragement to some of my family and friends. 

I am an anxious person.  There - I admitted it.  I think I inherited worry from my sweet mom.  She was the queen of worry.  But, she also was the queen of prayer.  Some may say that the two are diametrically opposite things and I suppose she would have even admitted that. I think that mom wanted so badly to have everybody safe, healthy and happy that she fussed when they weren't. Then she would turn to the One who was able to keep us, to provide for our needs and to ultimately save us from ourselves. I am trying to become more like that.

I hate all of the angst caused by political things that do nothing to encourage our people. I hate that health care workers worldwide are being stretched thin and working in conditions that are beyond my imagination.  I hate that people I care about have lost jobs and the financial resources to care for their families. I hate that children are cooped up in homes where they are not cared for. But, most of all I hate that we turn against one another when what we should be doing is pulling together and contritely asking God for His grace in this difficult time.

I have focused a good bit in the last couple days on an old hymn from my childhood. "In times like these you need a Savior. In times like these you need an anchor; Be very sure, be very sure your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock!" I find hope in those words.  The solid rock is Jesus!  He is the one.  And I can rest in the fact that He is not taken by surprise by any of what has taken place.  And He will hold onto me during these days of anxiety and restlessness.  And what can I do?  I can trust in Him.  I can delight in Him.  I can find my hope in Him.  He never changes and He never slumbers or sleeps. I can be kind. I can hold my tongue when what I have to say does nothing to encourage others. And I can look for ways to help those around me who are struggling.

And as my sweet mom would so often say, "Carol, this too shall pass!" And she was right!